iPhone 6 May Sport All-New Split Camera

A new camera could overcome color reproduction issues caused by optical filters.

Karl Tate, Laptopmag.com

Gallery

10DoubleDutyiPhoneCases

View Caption+

The cool kids in iPhone commercials may be sporting their new mobiles in all of their gleaming glory, but let’s be realistic, the thing is made of glass and delicate electronics. Most of us invest in a case that offers some protection, or at the very least, some personal style. But there are plenty of iPhone cases out there that do more than look good while covering your precious phone. Some cases double as a charger or a stand or a projector or a beer opener. Check these out. They may make you rethink your next case.

Adrianna Williams/Corbis

View Caption+#2: Waterproof Protector

LifeProof: $79.99 . Otterbox has dominated the tough case scene for a long time. But unlike it name suggests, the Otter is not waterproof -- a downside many owners have been lamenting. Now a new, lighter and slimmer cover is on the rise. LifeProof cases are waterproof, dirt proof, shock proof, and even snow proof. Adventure-friendly accessories like a bike mount or an arm band for running or swimming are available.

Lifeproof

View Caption+#3: Backup Battery

ThirdRail System: $89.99 . When the iPhone 4S was first released, outrage over its battery issues created some positive gains for battery-boosting products like ThirdRail. The system is a slim protective case that latches onto an iPhone and boosts the battery when necessary. The package comes with an extra external battery that attaches to the outside of the case to charge as well. When not being used for charging, the case is unobtrusive and allows users to access all buttons and ports.

ThirdRail Mobility

View Caption+#4: Kid Distracter

Griffin Woogie: $19.99 . It’s unsettling to see a toddler playing with an iPhone. First of all, it's just as easy to give them a book and secondly, what if they break it? The best distraction that will also guarantee your kid doesn’t wreck the phone is Woogie 2. Woogie is a soft cuddly stuffed monster that an iPhone fits into. Adding the app to the phone makes the doll interactive and a much better playmate for your little tyke.

Griffin

View Caption+#5: 360-Degree Rotating Stand

Zerochroma Teatro-S: $39.99 . A case that doubles as a stand is great, but a case that doubles as a stand that rotates 360-degrees? Genius. Zerochroma’s cases have stands that rotate 360-degrees with 14 different viewing positions that make it the ideal case for Facetime, video watching, typing and everything else you do on your phone. The case is also lightweight, shock- and scratch-proof and lined with felt to keep the glass shiny and new.

Zerochroma

View Caption+#6: Money

iCarte 420: $54.95 . If you’d like to engage in some shopping of the future, hook up your iPhone to the iCarte. It’s a case that has a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader and writer that creates a two-way contactless signal based on the near-field communication standard. This makes it possible to use the phone as a payment method at any store that has PayPass. If only it had a special spot for a driver's license, then you wouldn’t need to carry around that pesky uni-tasking wallet.

Wireless Dynamics

View Caption+#7: Slide-Out Keyboard

BoxWave Keyboard Buddy: $89.95 . The fact that iPhones don't come with a physical keyboard makes them sleek and stylish, but let's face it, it can be somewhat annoying for text input. BoxWave's Keyboard Buddy iPhone 4 Case is the perfect tactile remedy. The form-fitting shell has cutouts for using the camera with the keyboard in or out. Its battery, which charges separately by Micro-USB, can last up to two weeks. It connects via Bluetooth. And the nicely backlit keyboard includes smooth, rounded keys, a few of which are dedicated to home, backlight toggling and brightness adjustments. But our favorite is the keyboard toggle -- gotta love that extra screen real estate while typing!

BoxWave Corporation

View Caption+#8: Pico Projector

Pico Genie: $326.98 . Actually, "double-duty" is a bit of misnomer here. Cause the Pico Genie A100 really serves four functions: Case, 2-watt speaker, extended 1900mAh battery and 12-lumen DLP projector. Since it doesn't fully wrap around the phone, it's meant as more of a stylish accessory than an all-out rugged protective case. But clearly that's outweighed by the coolness factor of being able to throw a 60-inch image for up to three hours of audio-enhanced video playback.

Personal Projector Ltd

View Caption+#9: Wallet

Trtl Bot Minimalist: $29.95 . Okay, maybe "wallet" is a bit of a strong term. After all, the eco-friendly Trtl Bot Minimalist, which is made from recycled plastic bottles, only has room enough to hold an ID and two other cards. But then again, what else do you need? Who carries actual cash, receipts and baby pictures anymore? Who are you, George Castanza? Minimal, baby. That's the way to go.

Trtl Bot

View Caption+#10: Vintage Camera

Gizmon iCA iPhone Case: $65 . As it protects your $800 phone, the very durable Polycarbonate Gizmon iCA iPhone Case makes it look like a less expensive vintage camera. It's a little kitschy, but very catchy. The real catch, however, is that it functions. In other words, it does come with two fake lenses (one realistic looking, one slim enough to fit in your pocket). But you can attach actual working macro and fisheye lenses -- and the case's shutter button works! Available in black, brown or white, it comes with a soft bag and cute little tripod. Strap optional.

Four Corner Store

View Caption+#11: Beer Opener

Be a Headcase: $19.99 . Not all iPhone case beer openers are created equal. That's right, Be A Headcase isn't the only one. But it's supposedly the original and certainly the one with the most thought behind it. First, unlike the competition, it doesn't have any clunky moving parts. Second, as you can see in this video, when you purchase it you're also served the accompanying app. What could a beer opener app possibly do? Takes advantage of the iPhone's sensors to deliver a rich multimedia par-tay experience, that's what! Not only does it automatically count the number of beer and can tops you pop, it can display a chosen picture and play a chosen song/voice recording every time you do. It also uses GPS to track where in the world you're getting your drink on -- and will tweet/update your friends that you are. It's the ultimate in mixing low-brow with sophistication.

While other smartphone makers are busy packing as many megapixels and camera features as they can into their smartphones, it looks like Apple is once again focusing on image quality for the iPhone 6. A new patent reveals that the company is developing a new dual-sensor camera that will improve image quality while allowing for a thinner overall design.

The title of the patent filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is called "Electronic device with two image sensors." As reported by Apple Insider, the camera has two distinct sensors. The first sensor would capture luma data (brightness), while the other would capture chroma date (color). MORE: 10 Things You Didn't Know Your iPhone Could Do

Fingerprint scanners -- they're perhaps the most significant security feature ever to be used on a cell phone. How do they work and are they really as safe as they sound? Anthony has the answers.

The camera would then create the image by combining the data captured by each of the above sensors. This process could possibly introduce latency, but we suspect that a faster A8 processor, rumored to power the iPhone 6, would be able to compensate.

There are two benefits to Apple's new approach. First, because the camera would be split into two modules, they could be made thinner and by extension the iPhone 6 itself. This is important because Apple's next smartphone is expected to sport a larger display.

Second, Apple's patent claims that a split-camera design would result in better image quality, because it would improve the signal-to-noise ratio and overcome color reproduction issues caused by optical filters.

In the camera phone wars, Samsung has traditionally offered more features, and that will likely continue with the Galaxy S5, which houses a 16-megapixel sensor and offers real-time HDR. Samsung's flagship will also have a Shot & More mode that lets you choose among multiple effects after you shoot. But if Apple has its way, it will hold on to the photo quality crown.